Hi Y'all, I have seen a lot of 45-70 loads using reduced amounts of Unique. I emailed Ben at Alliant and asked him if these loads were safe to shoot. I started about 12 and went up to15 gr. His answer was: "We have no data on the loads you asked about and I suggest you use RL-7. My question to y'all is, just how safe are these loads to shoot out of my Marlin 1895?
Mike
Check this site out for put-put load information
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm
Sorry, I have 300 and 405 LRNFPGC bullets on hand and they are hand cast.
Mike
Mike-
Pick up a copy of Richard LEE's Modern Reloading, the current addition and there you'll find how to safely work up reduced loads for any cast boolit weight and caliber.
When it comes to 45-70 cast boolits and Unique, well I'm a believer. I've only shot a few hundred--a year--for the past 7 years. Maybe I've just been lucky, but Lyman has been publishing Loads for the 45-70 using unique since before I was born. Now I realize that they did not include any in their latest installment of cast boolit loads, but I, and many others, have used 10 to 15 grain loads with 300 and 320 grain boolits. In their 47th edition, they show a 457-191 developing 1200 fps with a 12 grain load @13,000 psi. I've shot a lot of these, with good accuracy out to 100 yards. RCBS also listed Unique loads in their cast boolit book.
Last edited by rintinglen; 01-08-2011 at 01:00 AM. Reason: whoops-brain outran fingers
Thanks for all the information and keep adding to it.
Mike
What do y'all think of the use of fillers with these loads?
Mike
im surely no expert but ive shot propable at least a 1000 in marlins with as little as 7 grains using a 405. ive probably shot the same amount using 3 grains of bullseye and a 300 grain bullet for a gallery load and have never had a problem.
In my experience fillers aren't needed nor advantageous with these Unique loads. I've shot many .45-70, Ly457191 propelled by 10.5 gr Unique ignited by a std large pistol primer. 1100 fps.Originally Posted by MikeG70
The biggest thing to watch for is double charging, it'd be real easy to accidently double charge a case if you weren't paying attention. When you're loading them, use some foolproof routine to prevent that.
John C. Saubak
I have never needed filler with any of the pistol powders I've tried. I've measured them over my Chrony tip-up-shoot, tip-down-shoot and I've not seen a difference in velocity until I got down to around 5gr and less of Clays. I've pretty much always used WLR primers in my 45-70 and they seem plenty hot enough for the various put-put loads I've tried.
My favorite plinker is a 500grain'er pushed by 7 gr of Hodgdon Clays which yields 750fps from my Guide Gun. I just happen to have a bunch of undersized fodder that won't shoot worth beans at speed, but is very accurate at plinker speeds.
To all of you that answered this thread, thank you.
Not for one minute did I feel my fellow shooters would do anything to damage themsevles or their firearms. I thought is was odd Alliant had no data on the loads I requested so then here is the horse's mouth telling me to go to another powder to get the results I was looking for.
OK, what was I to think at that point ?
If you have a favorite load in this area, please lay it on me.
Mike
Ten grains to Fifteen grains Unique is what I have seen suggested over and over.
I just so happen to use 15 gr of Unique under a 350 gr Ranch dog boolit.
Shoots great, and gets me 1300 fps.
I use it for deer hunting.
"I have enough ammo and guns to shoot my way into Nevada." - California resident.
"My question to y'all is, just how safe are these loads to shoot out of my Marlin 1895?"
Mike, The late Frank Marshall, Jr. (Cast Bullet Association) used to recommend 13grs. Unique (NO filler) in the .45-70. I've tried it in my Marlin (also without filler) and was completely satisfied with it: Little recoil, excellent accuracy, no leading.
Lymans 47th shows 300 gr (292) using 12.0 tart & 15.o max & 400gr 13.7 start & 16.5 max these are for 1895 only not trapdoor's etc.
U S Navy Retired. NRA Lifetime Member. NMLA. SASS Member Time magazine Person of the year 2006
This is great, more information and I appreciate them all very much.
Mike
Quote:
Not for one minute did I feel my fellow shooters would do anything to damage themsevles or their firearms. I thought is was odd Alliant had no data on the loads I requested so then here is the horse's mouth telling me to go to another powder to get the results I was looking for.
OK, what was I to think at that point ?
If you have a favorite load in this area, please lay it on me.
Mike
Hey mike,' I ran into this same problem with Alliant. I wanted to make some low noise 30 Carbine loads for my Blackhawk using Hornady 100 gr short jacket bullets and Unique. The guy at Alliant said they had no data and said I could not use Unique for 30 Carbine. I found Speer has a nearly identicle bullet and load data in their manual using that bullet and Unique so I used it with the Hornady bullets and it is the best thing that ever happened to my 30 Carbine Blackhawk. If Alliante doesn't have much data for Unique anymore, maybe they should remove "The Most Versatile Powder Made" from the label. My old Lyman manual shows Unique in nearly every cartridge.
Steve
Steve, back at you.
When I started reloading 50 years ago, one could look in one loading manual for a certain load and the rest would show pretty much the same data. Now they are all different by a long shot. Granted formulas have changed but I would not think data would change as much as it has.
I read Bob Shell's blog on Unique and he shoots it in every gun he owns. If Alliant does away with Unique, I'm sure there are going to be a lot of unhappy reloaders.
Until next time,
Mike
This why I like to talk to others and compare loads and ask questions regarding new ones.
If you are worried about the safety of the light Unique loads, DON'T use them, do what the powder company rep said to do.
BUT
You knew that was coming didn't you?
as I have posted here many times
350 Ranch Dog (378 in my alloy) 10.5 milsurp (thinks it is Unique) and WLP (NO filler) moseying out about 1100 fps is very Accurate load
Last edited by TCLouis; 05-01-2012 at 08:36 PM. Reason: additional comment
Amendments
The Second there to protect the First!
10 grains with 350 g Ranchdog is a nice 50 yrd "gallery" load in my Ruger NO 1 45-70
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